How many sign shops are in the Milwaukee area?
The Milwaukee area among U.S. metro areas
| # | Metro area | Sign shops | Employees | Avg pay | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Columbus areaOH | — | — | 1.27× | |
| 33 | Baltimore areaMD | — | — | 0.90× | |
| 33 | Las Vegas areaNV | 1,019 | $74,497 | 1.07× | |
| 33 | Milwaukee areaWI | 747 | $81,176 | 1.37× | |
| 36 | Salt Lake City areaUT | — | — | 0.97× | |
| 37 | Louisville areaKY-IN | — | — | 1.33× | |
| 38 | Birmingham areaAL | — | — | 1.77× |
All 383 metro areas are ranked on the metro list. For Wisconsin as a whole, with 2025 figures and the trend since 2014, see the Wisconsin page.
Other metro areas in Wisconsin
| Metro area | Sign shops | Employees | Avg pay | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis area | 84 | — | — | 1.22× |
| Madison area | 18 | — | — | 1.32× |
| Sheboygan area | 8 | 184 | $56,843 | 4.18× |
| Wausau area | 8 | 137 | $61,805 | 3.21× |
| Racine area | 7 | 58 | $61,923 | 2.13× |
| Appleton area | 6 | — | — | 1.35× |
| Green Bay area | 6 | — | — | 1.05× |
| Kenosha area | 5 | 19 | $38,228 | 1.83× |
Questions
How many sign shops are in the Milwaukee area?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 44 sign manufacturing establishments in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area in 2024 (annual average, private employers), rank 33 of 383 U.S. metro areas. They employed 747 people, about 17 per shop.
What do sign shops pay in the Milwaukee area?
Average annual pay in the area's sign shops was $81,176 in 2024, 28% above the U.S. sign industry average of $63,399. It blends fabricators, installers, designers and owners on payroll.
Does the Milwaukee area have more sign shops than average?
Relative to its size, yes: sign shops make up a 37% larger share of the Milwaukee area's private employers than they do across the U.S. (a location quotient of 1.37, where 1.00 is the national share).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), annual averages, private ownership, NAICS 339950 Sign Manufacturing, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan statistical area, 2024 and 2023 annual averages, read September 24, 2026. 2024 is the latest year the BLS has published for metro areas. Concentration is the BLS location quotient for establishments. Ranks computed from the 383 metro areas with a published count; tied areas share a rank.